Process of making ice skates



Jan. 3, 1933. w, HOERLE 1,893,140

PROCESS OF MAKING ICE SKATES Original Filed June 1, 1931 M'Zlz'amF/fa erZe,

Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. HOERLE, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNION HARDWARE COMPANY, OF 'IORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT PROCESS OF MAKING ICE SKATES Original application filed June 1, 1931, Serial No. 541,377.

1932. Serial My invention relates particularly to the production of what are commonly termed tubular skates. In the past it has been customary to form such structures out of two or more pieces of metal riveted or welded together. These constructions, of course, have the natural disadvantages of devices made of two or more parts, i. e., expense of manufacture and the provision of cracks and seams which are likely to rust and open up.

One object of my invention is to produce a skate which is light and durable.

Another object is to provide a construction which can be made more economically.

In developing the invention I have found it possible to make the tubular body and the runner out of a single flat strip of metal, stamped and folded together, and with the edges united to form the runner. I have also been able to make such a skate out of a low carbon steel which can be readily drawn and shaped and then carbonized, tempered and annealed. By such a process it is possible to produce a runner which is to a large extent self-sharpening.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a skate made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the tubular body and runner on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the skate is to be made.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the blank.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the blank partially formed.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

The body of the skate consists of the runner 7 and the tubular portion 8 formed out of a single strip of metal. Such a skate will be provided with suitable toe plate 9 and heel plate 10 connected to the body by supports such as 11, 12 and 13 in any suitable manner.

The blank may be of a flat strip of metal 14, such as steel, capable of being drawn,

Divided and this application filed May 25, No. 613,380.

tempered and annealed. Such a strip may be of uniform thickness and of suitable composition either of high carbon steel or alloy steel.

My method of manufacture, however, makes it possible and desirable to use a comparatively cheap and soft low carbon steel containing say from 10 to 20 points of carbon.

The blank is formed so that the edges 15 are brought togetherto form the runner and welded or riveted at a nuniberof points, for instance, by spot welding or line welding. The tubular portion of the body is formed by stamping longitudinal grooves 16 into the blank as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. At the same time the central portions of the ends are grooved as at 17 An additional forming operation brings the flanges 1515 together to form the runner 7 and produces the tubular portion 8 which affords the necessary longitudinal reinforcement.

Then a low carbon steel is used it can be readily carbonized by careful treatment so as to increase the carbon content up to say 80 points or more, which will permit proper hardening, tempering and annealing. It will be understood, of course, that the ends of the blanks are trimmed off as at 18 to any desired shape either before or after the forming operation.

The process of manufacture as above described makes it possible more readily to reduce the thickness of the stock between the edges 1515, for instance, by rolling or swaging while the steel is soft and in this way provide a very light tubular portion with an adequately thick runner. For instance, for a hockey skate I may employ a blank five hundredths of an inch thick and reduce the central portion 19 to one-half this thickness. Such a construction would provide a runner with a cutting edge one-tenth of an inch thick.

Of course, I do not wish it understood that the invention is limited to the use of any I and also to reduce the weight and still aiford adequate strength and durability.

When the skate body is formed of soft steel and then carbonized properly the outer surface will be somewhat harder than the interiorand consequently when the skate is ground it will leave the cutting edges someform runners, and then carbonizing, hardening and tempering the blade.

5. The method of forming a skate blade which comprises first grooving a soft steel strip longitudinally along its central portion to form integrally connected semi-tubular portions with outwardly flaring edges, then bending the edges toward each other and forming the semi-tubular portion into a tubular reinforcement with'parallel edges, then uniting. theaedges, then carbonizing the steel to increase its carbon content at least in the edges, then hardening the edges and then tempering them. i 7

' VVILLIA-M HOEREE.

what harder than the center. Such a construction is in eifect more or less self-sharpening inasmuch as the softer central portion will'wear away more rapidly than the edges.

According to my invention it is. possibleto provide longitudinal reinforcing ribs such asand 2-1 in the blank which materially increase the strength of the tubular-portion with the addition of a minimum amount of metal. I

,It will. be understood that the carbonizing of the body wouldtake place prior to the-attachment of the toe and heel plates and their supports. The skates may be finished in any suitable manner.

A skate blade can be made according to my invention out of such thickness of metal as is commonly employed in making the tubular reinforcement, and in such case will have much greater strength than the old form. In fact it is possible by my method to make .a skate blade which will be not onlystronger but lighter than those heretofore made.

' This application is a division from my application'No. 541,877, filedJune 1, 1981.

I claim:

,1. The method of makinga skate blade which comprises longitudinally grooving, a. blank strip to form integrally connected semitubular portions with outwardly flaring edges and then forming the grooved portion into a tube and then directly uniting the edges .to form the runner.

2. The method of forming a :skate blade which comprises forming a tube. from the longitudinal centralportion ofa soft steel strip and uniting the edges of the strip: .to

form the'runner, then carbonizing the blade to increase the percentage of carbonrin the surface,-. then hardening the blade and then tempering it.

3. The method of forming a skate. blade which comprises reducing the thickness of-the longitudinal central portionof a softsteel blank, then forming: the central part into a' tube and uniting edges to form the runner,

then carbonizing. the blade, then hardening ;the blade, and then tempering it.

4. The process of making a tubular ice skate blade which comprises bending a soft steel strip along its central portion and forming a tubular reinforcement with projecting -2 edges, then welding the edges together to 

